


Gentle Ripples

by ThatDamnKennedyKid



Series: Gentle Waters [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Chapter 700 Rewrite, Children, F/M, Married Couple, fem!naruto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-03-04 17:36:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3076322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatDamnKennedyKid/pseuds/ThatDamnKennedyKid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto comes home from the Kage conference to the love of her lazy family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gentle Ripples

Naruto stood outside the door to her small house. It was still hard to believe, after all these years, that there was light peeking out from under the door. There were people waiting for her inside. People who loved her, wanted her,  _needed her_. 

Like she did each night, she got giddy inside. She grasped the handle and opened the door.

* * *

Naruto was one of those people that weren't well understood, despite how they never actively tried to hide anything. For instance, her loyalty to Sakura. Once the blonde brought Sasuke home, Sakura nearly completely cut her out of her life. It was almost like Naruto was a rented tool and now that the job was complete, it was okay to return her. 

"I don't want to say it."

Naruto just laughed. "I know, Shikamaru. Whatcha gonna do?"

A small smile came to his lips. "Feel like ramen?"

"Do I ever!"

Kakashi watched the Nara and the Uzumaki walk off, shaking his head to himself with a deep sigh. "I was wondering when they'd stop being blockheads."

Kurenai chuckled, rocking her little munchkin. "They'll never stop. he overthinks and she underthinks."

Kakashi groaned. "You don't know the half of it."

* * *

A week later found Naruto knocking on his door. He unlatched the door. 

"Naruto? It's nearly three in the morning. Why are you soaked?"

She smiled sheepishly. "A pipe burst in my apartment. Can I camp in here for a bit?"

He groaned, but hid a smile behind his hand. "Fine. Don't hog all the covers."

"No promises!"

* * *

It became somewhat of a habit, this. 

Shikamaru cast another glance over at her sleeping face. 

She was only a fitful sleeper during missions, it seemed. She was perfectly calm laying beside him now, sunbathing in the light filtering through his windows. His mother had insisted he get light curtains instead of the black carpets he was planning to nail over the windows. He was really happy now  ~~she threatened to kill him if he didn't~~ that he had decided to listen to her advice.

"Are you always this sunny?" Shikamaru whispered, not even realizing his own voice. 

A bright blue eye peaked out at him. "Only here." She winked, then disappeared under the covers. 

It was definitely a habit, considering her apartment had been fixed three months ago.

* * *

Naruto was much more intelligent than people gave her credit for. 

 _Perhaps_ , Shikamaru mused,  _that's why she's the only one who noticed._

Chouji and Ino had found, finally, ones they could see themselves with for the long haul. As a ninja, it became very hard very fast to find people your own age to love. Many of those their age were killed in the war, slain by Kabuto and Obito and Madara and the Mother. Shikamaru was happy for his childhood friends. It was so hard to find love, let alone so easily. 

 _Perhaps_ , Shikamaru wondered again,  _that's why she's here._

Slowly, over the days, Naruto had started showing up more and more in his daily life. First, it was the sleepovers (which were nightly now). Then, they started to visit his mother together. Shikamaru was startled when she'd asked, but he let her come. She'd never had a mother or father to love her or dote on her and his mother was more than capable of that, especially with Shikaku passed on and Shikamaru living on his own. 

Then, she started to come with him on his visits to Kurenai's, sitting with him when he babysat or playing with the baby girl. After their visits, they started going out for lunch. They talked and laughed and joked, playfully ribbing each other and learning quirks. 

Now, she had her head on his arm, sleeping soundly in the warm summer sun. Instead of watching clouds, like he was supposed to be, he was watching the play of light across delicious tan skin and long ribbons of goddess-like golden hair. He had one lengthy lock wrapped around a finger.

* * *

Shikamaru awoke to the feel of cotton against his body. Normally, his nightclothes were flannel while his sheets were soft cotton (a gift from his mother). Rolling into his side, he met Naruto's face. She smiled softly at him.

"I don't think I've said it yet." She murmured, blue eyes darkened with sleep and face gentled in lethargy. "I love you, Shikamaru. With all I've got and with all I'll ever have."

"Hey." She looked up at him, cocking her head cutely. He snuggled close to her, warm flesh to warm flesh. "I love you too."

He kissed her gently, arms winding around her body. 

* * *

"Mumma!"

She dropped down onto her knees, catching the body that launched itself at her. 

"Hey, baby!" She kissed the pale child squarely on the lips. "How was your day, Shikatsu?"

The boy grinned. "It was good. Dad was teaching me some of the more basic Shadow techniques."

"Kid takes after you. Learns through experience."

She looked up at her husband. He wasn't wearing his Jounin gear, like normal, but dark house pants and a dulled orange shirt. Most of his non-shinobi attire had orange on it somewhere, though it was never as bright and outspoken as her own. His hair was down as well, apparently freshly awoken for her return. She was as honoured as she was endeared. 

She stood and straightened her dress, making sure the Nara and Uzumaki symbols were even and crisp. She had traded with him, when she became Hokage, some of her immaturity for some of his adult-ness. What happened was a strange result. He got a little messier and wore more orange. She got a little more organized and wore more blacks or dark Nara greens than her trademark blinding orange (though a small amount of the colour managed to squeeze it's way into every outfit, much to Sasuke and Sakura's chagrin and Kakashi's everlasting amusement). 

"Oh. I almost forgot." Shikatsu grinned and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I got accepted into the Academy today."

She looked at her husband and he shrugged. "I didn't see it either. It'll probably appear some time tomorrow."

Well, if anyone would know, it would be him. She just signed what was put in front of her. She scooped her baby boy up, kissing him again and making him giggle. "Congratulations, Shika! I say we celebrate!"

Shikatsu wrapped his arms around her neck and shimmied onto her back. "I'd hope I get into the Academy. My father's the smartest person in the village and my mom' the Hokage. I'm bound for brilliance."

Her husband smiled indulgently, looping an arm around her waist. "Where do you want to go for this celebration dinner?"

At this, Shikatsu perked up. "Ichiraku. I want ramen."

Naruto grinned and her husband groaned, though a smirk played at his lips. "Do either of you ever tire of ramen?"

"Nope!"

He rolled his eyes. "Troublesome. Give me a minute to change and we'll go."

"Wanna show me your new jutsu while he'd busy?"

"Sure, Mum."

* * *

She had changed once they got home into on old shirt of his that still hung low on her. They were on the roof, laying under the summer moon. Her hair was down from the bun she wore it in, the blonde strands brushing her knees. She had been so afraid to let it grow out after the Fourth Shinobi War. She had confessed to him that she didn't want anyone to lose respect for her because she suddenly wanted to look and feel more feminine. He had walked her through the transition.

She no longer wore painfully constricting breast bands or overly baggy clothes to hide her curves and breasts. She let her hair lengthen and her face soften. Many of the elders said she looked just like her mother, hair rising wildly in her rare appearances of anger. 

Shikamaru would have her no other way. 

"Do you think Shikatsu will sleep through classes like we did?"

He chuckled, kissing her head and pulling her close, fingers tangling in the long gold strands. "Probably."

" . . . Shikamaru?"

He looked down, letting her spin the ring on his left hand. "Hmm?"

" . . . Am I a good mother?"

"Shikatsu is almost ten. Why are you asking this question now?"

"I just . . . " She sighed, letting her head fall onto his chest. "I don't know. I wonder sometimes if I'm good enough. For you. For Shikatsu. For the village. For anything. Am I enough?"

He pulled her close, shifting onto his side to hold her. He pressed her tear-stained face into his shoulder, petting her softly. "I've always wished to have the kind of drive you do. Since before we were Genin, I watched you, tried to understand you. Why you pushed so hard to make something of yourself, why you tried so hard to outdo Sasuke, why you saved the village so many times when all the village ever did to you was hurt you. So, since I knew I would never be like you, I did my best to stay with you. I would never make Hokage, no matter what my IQ was. I followed you because you were my perfect opposite: a leader, a lover, the only pillar in this village that's never crumbled. And . . . well, is it so hard to think that after all that effort, I wouldn't throw in a little more to keep you by my side? As for Shikatsu . . . It's not possible for you to be a bad mother, considering the amount of love you pour into everything you do. The village? What about it? It's the most peaceful it has ever been and I don't think that's any kind of coincidence. You're more than I, or anyone, could ever ask for. I'm just the lucky bastard that got you. I captured your heart and I'll never let it go."

She sniffed, nuzzling in closer to him. 

"What do you say to giving Shikatsu a little sister?"

A grin split his lips. "Are you asking me to bed, darling?"

"More like a demand, really."

"Well, who am I do deny the Hokage?" 

"My Shizune?"

Shikamaru groaned. "It was one time!  _One time_ I told you not to drink on the job!"

She giggled and slapped his arm. "What's not what I meant!"

"How about I show you what I mean?"

She smirked. "Can you catch me, first?"

Competition worked its way onto his features. "Most definitely."

* * *

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her. 

She scowled. "Don't. Say. A word."

"Shikamaru isn't lazy all the time, is he?"

He caught the first book, but missed the second. "Ow! Why?!"

"For being a pervert!"

Shikamaru strolled onto the room, lazily making his way over to her desk. He sat down on one end, then smirked. 

"Naruto's also particularly athletic."

"Really?"

"Hmm."

"Kami! Perverts, the both of you!"

The two men chuckled as she threw herself down onto her chair only to yelp. 

When Shikatsu showed up after the Academy let out, the Hokage office was a mess of thrown books and two unconscious Jounin. 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> "Shikatsu" translates into "Life and Death" in Japanese.


End file.
